Productive Weekend with a SMILE!

Last week I was so lazy! It was just way more fun to sit and hang out with Collin than to do anything that needed to be done around the house. This was great at the time, but also made for a ‘to-do’ list that was growing out of control! So… I started Saturday morning and didn’t stop until Sunday night.

This is what was on, but by no means limited to, my list for the weekend…

* Kroger (we were in desperate need of groceries)
* clean the kitchen (unload the dishwasher, wipe down the counters, etc.)
* vacuum
* laundry
* hang shelves in Collin’s room
* dust the living room
* bake a cake for our wonderful neighbors
* work in our front flower bed
* sweep back porch (grill area)
* finish thank you notes for baby gifts
* start cleaning the garage
~ obviously, I had high hopes for this weekend. HA!

Collin woke up early Saturday morning (6:00) so instead of laying back down like we do most Saturday mornings we decided it would be a great morning to go get breakfast! We loaded up the car and we were off to Shipley’s! I can’t even remember the last time I had a Shipley’s donut. It was SO good. Started my crazy busy weekend off with a little treat!

We got back home and I started on some laundry. While that was going I started on baking a cake for our neighbors.

     We have the best neighbors! Before I met Eric, the husband mowed my yard one time! I had no clue who mowed it for months. They always stop and say hello or at least a wave if we are driving by. They also brought us a baby gift over when we had Collin! It’s so easy to live next door to people and never speak, or get to know them. It’s important to us that we get to know our neighbors. So, I baked a cake and wrote a ‘thank you’ card. We went over as a family to take the cake and tell them how wonderful they have been over the last year, and even longer for me! Hopefully, this will be the beginning of a great friendship!

When the cake was finished I went to Kroger to get us some groceries. It took me a while because we needed so much! I got back home as quickly as I could and started on my next task. (and I missed my little man)

I put Collin down for his afternoon nap and I went outside to work in the flower bed. I wanted to take advantage of the amazing weather!! I was able to get the entire front bed done before he woke up! Yay! It was in desperate need of some attention. Being pregnant and not feeling good for the entire pregnancy took a toll on my yard! Eric does a great job keeping it mowed and stuff, but it really needed some help in the flower bed department!! Weeds were everywhere! Everything was overgrown.

I sat down and worked on thank you notes after switching the laundry. Of course, as soon as I sat down and got ONE written, Collin woke up! Oh well. Eric played with him for a little bit while I cleaned up the kitchen. I swept and everything! I love a clean kitchen!!! Now if I can just keep it that way.

I did attempt to hang the shelves I got for Collin’s room, but I didn’t have a drill. I’m going to have to borrow my dad’s. I hate starting a project and not being able to finish it. Eric offered to vacuum for me!! I think he could tell I was getting overwhelmed.

Eric’s dad, step mom, and sister came Sunday for lunch. Eric and his dad cooked chicken and steak out on the grill. It was so wonderful to see them. I really enjoyed their visit.

Tammy with Collin

  

 Tori with Collin

Sunday afternoon I started getting a headache. I took some Tylenol and it seemed to help a little. Then Sunday night, it started REALLY hurting. I laid Collin down around 8:00 and I wasn’t far behind him. Thankfully, my little buddy slept 8.5 hours last night, woke up to eat, and went back to sleep for another 4! I was so glad because I woke up this morning to my head still hurting! I’ve had several headaches lately I don’t know what the problem is. Hopefully, that will end soon!

I didn’t get everything finished on my list… but it is a THREE day weekend! So, hopefully I’ll get finished today. That is, if I can pull myself away from the “cake” marathon on TLC.

It was a crazy busy weekend, actually it is still is. I am very thankful for President’s Day! I get an extra day to get caught up and spend time with my husband!

OH… Collin is smiling!!!! Such a great little bonus for the weekend! A couple of days ago he started opening his mouth as wide as he could in a circle shape. Now, after he does that, the sides come out into the cutest little smile!!! I haven’t been able to get a picture yet, but I’m working on that!

Valentine's Day

This year I had TWO amazing valentines! My husband started the weekend off with presents!

And LOTS of them! He gave me candy (reeses), a new book, and a card! The card was signed from Eric and Collin!

 Then Eric took me out to dinner! Collin stayed with my parents~ but not before we got a little family picture!

Then Kyndall, my mom. and sister came over Monday night to bring Collin a cute teddy bear!

Sweet little Kyndall!!

Little Man’s first Valentine’s Day!

Snow, Ice, and Broken Wrist

Central Arkansas has gotten so much snow over the past month it is ridiculous. It has snowed more in Collin’s little life than it has in longer than I can remember. According to my dad, when we lived in Russellville, we had a big snow. I was apparently only like 5 or 6 years old. I don’t remember that, but I will remember this snow! Wednesday morning it started snowing and by Wednesday night we had gotten 8 inches! Wow. That’s big for Conway Arkansas!

That means that the Jackson family has had a lot of time on our hands.

We made snow ice cream…

 Slept A LOT!

LOOKED at the snow. No playing for us... We aren't big fans of being cold and wet!

 We watched movies, watched lots of TV, and we ate A LOT. Basically, we have been lazy bums!

One eventful thing that happened was Eric, FELL ON THE ICE!! Bless his heart. This was at the doctor’s office getting his cast. He picked blue! He ended up breaking his wrist in two places. Not good at all.

He can’t change diapers or swaddle Collin. Actually, even holding Collin is difficult because the cast is really hard and scratchy on Collin’s skin. I told him if he didn’t want to change diapers, all he had to do was tell me. He didn’t have to go and break his wrist! Ha! He gets his cast off on March 1st. We both can’t wait!!

I walked in the kitchen the other day to find this…

He was scratching his arm with a spatula. He quickly said…

“It was itching!” HA!!



Two Months

Two Month Stats:

Weight: 9 lbs 1 ¼ oz

Length: 21 ½ in

Head: 14 ½ in

*We finally made it out of Preemie gear!! You are wearing newborn diapers, and newborn clothes. I think we will actually be moving up to size 1 diapers soon!

*Mommy is having a hard time finding socks that will stay on your skinny long feet! You get that from your Daddy, don’t you?

*You haven’t smiled yet, but we are getting close! Your doctor says your milestones may be a little delayed because you were born a little early, but I have a feeling you will catch up in no time!

*You are becoming more and more alert every single day. You love to look around. You have started liking your swing a little more.

*You sleep A LOT! (Just like your Mommy) You are beginning to sleep longer periods at night. You have had three nights in a row of sleeping 5 hours! Yay!

*You still grunt all the time. I love it.

*Bath time is getting better. You still aren’t the biggest fan, but you don’t cry anymore. I borrowed a little space heater from your LeLe to put in the bathroom. With a combination of the heater and keeping a warm rag on your chest you don’t get cold.

*You are still nursing 7-8 times a day for 20 minutes. Mommy and Daddy have learned here lately that because you have been nursing every time you eat, you have trouble when we try to feed you with a bottle. It’s almost like it comes out too fast for you, and you get choked. We are working on this!

*One of your favorite things to stare at, are the curtains in Mommy and Daddy’s room. They are a dark red color with gold pattern that shines through with the sun hits the window. You love looking at them!

*You got sick for the first time this month. That is the worst thing ever! You started out with just a stuffy nose and it slowly got worse. LOTS worse. I took you to the doctor and they used this machine to suck out all this stuff from your nose. That helped you SO much. They told me you had RSV. Basically a horrible cold for babies. Mommy would have given anything to have been sick instead of you.

*Kyndall absolutely loves you!

*You went on a date with Mommy and Daddy for the first time. We went to Colton’s. It was an adventure. Mommy learned LOTS on this outing.

*Your eyelashes and eyebrows are finally starting to grow. Your eyelashes are so long! You are getting more hair on the top of your head. I think it’s got a little bit of red in it! Your Pa will be very happy about this!

*Sometimes Daddy’s feelings really get hurt. He can try to do everything to make you happy, but you just seem to cry. When Mommy comes and tries the EXACT same thing, you stop crying. We are working on this too!

*Your two month shots were awful. We have had a rough couple of days. They told Mommy that 5% of all babies will run fever with the shots. Well, you are one of those! We gave you some Tylenol, and that seemed to help a little bit. Hopefully your four month shots won’t be as bad.

Kyndall + Collin= BFF

I have a feeling that these two are going to be great friends. For the first month or so, Kyndall didn’t really know what to think about baby Collin. I think she was ready for him to actually do more than just sleep all the time. Once he started being more alert and could actually look at Kyndall, she became way more interested! I love sweet Kyndall, and want so badly for her and Collin to be close. I hope they become more than just first cousins, but friends. They are two years and one month apart. I think that’s the perfect age difference! I can’t wait for them to play and start blaming each other when something goes wrong!

1 month (1/7/11)

Geez... I'm behind again. Considering we have Collin's TWO month check on Monday, I should probably write about his first month!
I stole borrowed the idea to take monthly pictures with these blocks from my friend Cari. I think they are SO cute.

At birth you were: 4.15 lbs and 17 3/4 in

One week later (12-15-10) you were: 5.3 lbs and 18 1/4 in

One Month stats (1-7-11): 6.10 lbs and 20 in

What Collin is up to:

*You "watched" your first Razorback basketball game, in the hospital room, when you were just one day old with your daddy. They won! yay!

*Your daddy is so very proud of you. He is an amazing daddy! You are sleeping in a cradle in our room right now. Daddy RUNS to you every time you make a sound.

*You were just 18 days old for your first Christmas. Everyone was so excited to get to see you. You got some money from your great-grandmothers, some cute razorback clothes, a coin collection, cute outfits, and a pooh bear.

*You "watched" your first Razorback football game on January 4th. We were in a BCS bowl game for the first time since the BCS system was put into existence in 1998, unfortunately Arkansas lost a tough game to Ohio State 31-26 in New Orleans at the Sugar Bowl.

*You are wearing preemie diapers, and preemie clothes. Most of the clothes are still too big, but we will get there!

*You are such a great baby!! You eat great, and sleep great as long as you are swaddled really tight.

*You nurse every 3 hours. There is no need to set an alarm to feed you. You wake up almost to the minute.

*Mommy still hasn't mastered changing your diaper without getting peed on. Oh the joys of you being a boy!

*The preemie diapers are still a little big on you. We fold down the tops to help, but mommy is constantly having to change your clothes because you wake up wet pretty much after every nap.

Here comes Mommy

I love long hair. I love all the options that come along with having length. I had been growing my hair for several different things in my life. I wanted my hair to be long for our engagement pictures, my bridal portraits, our wedding, etc.

Then I got pregnant and my hair grew like crazy. Then I had Collin and, no lie, my hair grew longer and faster the month after he was born than anytime in my life. Geez. Lets just say that my hair has been long for a while now.

I have QUICKLY learned that time in the mornings (for me) to get ready for the day is very rare. I’m usually trying to dry and straighten my hair while trying to entertain my baby boy. Collin is really awake and alert in the mornings, and I LOVE playing with him. My hair is also SUPER thick. To dry it (15 min) and straighten it (20 min) just takes too long!! So… this past week I decided I was going to get it cut. I got my “mommy” haircut. Something that won’t take me forever to fix!



This post is entirely too long for just a haircut. But here are some pictures- yes, Eric made fun of me for asking him to take before and after pictures! Ha!